Shooting practice method

ABSTRACT

The subject of the present invention is a target practice method, comprising a step of launching a target into a portion of space, a step of firing a projectile towards the target and a step of impact of the projectile on the target, characterized in that use is made of a projectile comprising a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in that it involves a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectile on the target, thereby releasing the marking material.

The present invention more particularly relates to a target practicemethod and system. It also relates to a target and a device associatinga target and a projectile for target practice.

A preferred application relates to the target launchers industry and theshooting techniques, including the industry of weapons and projectiles.

TECHNOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

The typical target practice discipline is that of Ball-Trap.

In the latter domain, devices launching targets often called claypigeons are known. The shooter is equipped with a rifle associated withcartridges containing shots the calibre of which is adapted to thedesired shooting. Both during training and competition, Ball-Trappractice consists in launching a clay pigeon that the shooter is tryingto reach for the lead shots to dislocate it. Such dislocation provides avisual effect which enables the shooter and the public, if any, toconfirm that the target has been reached. In some cases, the visualeffect can be enhanced by using specific pigeons, containing a powderedmaterial such as calcium carbonate. Upon breaking of the target, thepowdered material is dissipated into the space surrounding the impactarea, producing a cloud, possibly colored according to the color of thepowdered material. The document US-A1-20020125643 also relates to suchtargets containing a marking material.

The visual effect produced by this technique is satisfactory butinvolves the use of many targets, the cost of which is relatively highas regards consumables, and the environmental impact of which, once theclay pigeons destroyed and strewn out on the ground, is not alwaysnegligible.

The present invention makes it possible to solve all or at least some ofthe drawbacks of the current techniques.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to a first aspect of embodiments, it particularly relates to atarget practice method comprising a step of launching a target into aportion of space, a step of firing a projectile in the direction of thetarget and a step of impact of the projectile on the target.

Advantageously, this method is such that a projectile comprising a shelldefining an interior volume containing a marker material is used andcomprises a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectile onthe target, so as to release the marking material

This provision makes it possible to use reusable targets since theprojectile is caused to break. The visual effect is preserved because ofthe dynamic aspect of the operation of the invention: the movement ofthe target provides, upon impact, a distribution of the marker intospace, and in particular over a broad surface the target and/or aroundit. While current techniques focus on the destruction of the target, theinvention adopts the opposite approach.

According to a not restrictive method, the step of launching comprisesrotating the target on its own. An advantage resulting from such aspectof the invention is that the impact point of the projectile is then thelocation of a motion having a tangential component at the surface of thetarget, in addition to the movement of the target along its launchingtrajectory. This causes a net increase in the marker release area.

Another aspect of the invention embodiments also relates to a targetpractice system, comprising a target and a projectile intended to impactthe target, characterized in that the projectile comprises a shelldelimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in thatthe impact of the projectile on the target is so configured as to causethe breaking of the shell, thereby releasing the marking material. Thesystem may also include a target launching machine.

Another aspect of embodiments of the invention relates to a shootingtarget. In a preferred case, the edge of the target has a lower densitythan the impact surface. While Ball-Trap targets are made of a singlepiece having the same density, the invention is in marked contrast,especially since it uses one or more less dense material(s) at the edgearea, where a material having a higher density would naturally be placedfor mechanical strength reasons. The target advantageously comprises aperipheral surface comprising an edge joining a first face and a secondface and an impact surface formed on at least one of the first face andthe second face, adapted to receive the impact of a projectile, with theedge of the target and the impact surface being made of differentmaterials, with the density of the material(s) being lower than thedensity of the material(s) of the impact surface.

Another aspect of embodiments of the invention relates to a devicecomprising a target and a projectile.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Other characteristics, aims and advantages of the present invention willappear upon reading the following detailed description and referring tothe appended drawings given as non-limiting examples and wherein:

FIG. 1 shows in perspective an example of a target used according to thepresent invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a possibility of mounting a portion of the target onthe rest of the target.

FIG. 3 shows an alternative to the embodiment of FIG. 2 for mounting aportion of the target on the rest of the target.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view along a diameter of the targetaccording to the embodiment of FIG. 3.

FIG. 6 shows in perspective another embodiment of the target and FIG. 5is a sectional view along a diameter of the target.

FIGS. 7 to 9 show in perspective an embodiment of a launching machinewhich may form part of the present invention, with FIGS. 7 to 9 showingvarious operating phases of said machine.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before going into the details of embodiments of the invention withreference to the figures, optional characteristics which can beimplemented in combination or alternatively are enumerated hereunder:

-   -   the own rotation speed of the target 1 is at least 300 rpm upon        launching and/or at the time of impact;    -   use is made of a target 1, the peripheral surface of which        comprises an edge 2 joining a first face 3 and a second face 4        and the step of impact is achieved through the contact of the        projectile on an impact surface 8 formed on at least one of the        first face 3 and the second face 4.    -   the edge 2 of the target 1 and the impact surface 8 are selected        to be made of different materials.    -   the edge material(s) 2 is/are selected to have a density lower        than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface 8;    -   the density of the material(s) of the impact surface 8 is        selected to be above 500 kg/m³;    -   the density of the material(s) of the edge 2 is selected to be        less than 275 kg/m³;    -   use is made of a target 1 comprising a target body 12 having a        cylindrical shape, the surface of revolution of which forms the        edge 2 and the impact surface 8 comprises, on at least one of        the first face 3 and the second face 4, a disc-shaped area.    -   the diameter of the disc-shaped area is selected to be smaller        than the diameter of the target body 12.    -   use is made of a target 1, the body 12 of which is made of        polymer foam and at least a part of the impact surface 8 is        obtained by cross-linking said foam;    -   at least a part of the impact surface 8 is formed by fixing a        coating 10 on the target body 12;    -   the fixing is carried out with at least one fixing member 11        located on a face of the coating 10 opposite the face of the        coating 10 forming at least partly the impact surface 8, and        with at least one additional fixing member 13 formed on the        target body 12;    -   the target comprises two coatings, each fixed to a different        face and each associated with at least one fixing member, with        the fixing members of the two coatings being so configured as to        interlock in a space provided in the thickness of the target        body.    -   the coating 10 is a plate of polymer material;    -   use is made of a target 1 comprising a belt, part of the        periphery of which forms the edge 2 of the target 1 and        surrounding a target heart 15 and the outer wall of the target        heart 15 forms at least partially the impact surface 8.    -   the target heart 15 is so selected that it comprises a part for        fixing one area of the belt 14 opposite the periphery part;    -   the heart 15 of the target comprises a central core 16 selected        to have a thickness smaller than that of the fixing portion;    -   Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge 2 is selected to        be lower than that of the material(s) of the impact surface 8;

Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge is less than 0.1 gigaPascal;

-   -   the coating is a sheet made of an elastomeric material;    -   Young's modulus of the material(s) of the impact surface 8 is        selected to be greater than 0.8 giga Pascal.    -   the projectile marker is selected from a liquid dye and a        powder;    -   the shell of the projectile is formed as a rigid shell made of        polymer material or as a flexible shell, preferably made of        gelatine.    -   the shell is formed as a smooth spherical casing.    -   the device comprises a target and a projectile comprising a        shell defining an interior volume containing a marking material.    -   the target preferably has a peripheral surface comprising an        edge joining a first face and a second face and an impact        surface formed on at least one of the first face and the second        face, adapted to receive the impact of a projectile, with the        edge of the target and the impact surface being made of        different materials, with the density of the material(s) being        lower than the density of the material(s) of the impact surface.    -   the edge of the target is so configured as to absorb the impact        energy of the projectile in a greater proportion than the impact        surface.    -   the target and the projectile are so configured that the        projectile absorbs over 60% of the energy generated by the        impact of a projectile on the impact surface.

One aspect of the invention is related to the launching of a target intoa portion of space. A launching machine is provided and onenon-restrictive embodiment is shown in FIGS. 7-9.

In these figures, the machine 19 has a launching surface advantageouslyin the form of a plane 20 for receiving at least one target 1 in contactwith one of the faces 3, 4 of the target 1. The launching plane 20 maybe horizontal or inclined, in particular to vary the effects of theprojection of the target and the area in space wherein the target isprojected. For this purpose, the machine 19 may be provided with meansenabling the inclination thereof. When a target 1 is on the launchingplane 20, it is launched by an ejection device here in the form of anarm 21 mounted to rotate around an axis x2. In the example, the arm 21is so configured as to be applied onto a part of the edge 2 of thetarget 1 to impart thereto kinetic energy enabling the launching. Acocking system can be used for the arm 21 and specifically a system asused in skeet machines for example involving a spring tensioned bymotorization and released by control to produce a rapid rotation of thearm 21 during the launching phase. The machine 19 further comprises aperipheral application surface 22 of the target 1 capable of cooperatingwith the edge 2 of the target 1. The target 1 can thus be guided as itmoves on the launching plane 20 until it is ejected. Besides, thesurface 22 may constitute an adhesive area which enables, in a preferredembodiment, to give the target 1 an effective own rotation. The interestof such own rotation to produce a better visual technical effect will beexamined subsequently. The shape of the application surface 22 is notlimited but is preferably curvilinear, with a comma-shaped profile.

The components described above for the machine 19 are, in the case ofFIGS. 7 to 9, mounted on a frame 23. The frame 23 may be hinged so as toprovide the tilting means mentioned above and in particular have thecapacity of a rotating articulation about at least one axis.

To allow the target practice with successive targets, the machine 19advantageously comprises a plurality of targets stored in a charger 24.In the case shown, the charger 24 is substantially equivalent to thoseused to launch targets such as “clay pigeons” and therefor comprises atleast one column 25 enabling to stack the targets 1 when storing theseand includes a delivery area 26 at the bottom of the column(s) 25, sothat, on command, a target 1 can be removed from the column 25 whereinit was stored to be directed toward the launching plane 20. This targetmotion 1 can be operated by gravity and/or via a push system.

The target 1 used in the invention may have different shapes andconfigurations. In view of the above with reference to launching machine19, it is however advantageous for the target 1 to have an outerperiphery in the form of an edge 2 having a substantially circularshape. In addition, the target 1 it advantageously comprises an axialsymmetry along the axis along which it is given its own rotation. Thesymmetry may also be central, so that the target 1 is perfectly balancedabout its center.

In addition, the target 1 is preferably reusable and it is not reallyaffected by the impact of the projectile. This does not exclude thatpoints of impact may still be visible after the shootings, but thesealterations are advantageously of minor importance, so that the targetcan be used several times.

In general, the target 1 comprises a peripheral wall constituting theouter surface thereof and preferably having an edge 2, and a first face3 and a second face 4. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of such type of target1. In the illustrated case, the first and second faces 3, 4 aresubstantially flat but this case is not restrictive, as will be seenlater with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 in particular. The edge 2 isadvantageously in the form of the outer surface of a revolutioncylinder. Thus, in the case of FIGS. 1 to 4, the target 1 hassubstantially the shape of a relatively flattened cylinder portionnamely the height is smaller than the diameter thereof.

For example, both in the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2 and in the otherembodiments, use can be made of a target 1 having a circular sectionwith a diameter between 25 and 33 centimeters and a height (dimension inthickness) ranging from 25 to 50 millimeters.

Returning to FIGS. 1 and 2, the target 1 carries a body 12 preferablymade of high or low density polymer foam. For example, polyethylene orpolyvinyl chloride foams are satisfactory. The density of such foams isfor example less than 275 kg/m³. A target 1 body 12 is thus formed,which gives resistance to the target 1 without being too rigid however,so as to limit the dangerousness of launching the target 1. Moreover,the crushing capacity of the target 1 as an elastic deformation at theedge 2 thereof can make it possible, in some embodiments, to accentuatethe effect of the own rotation given by the launching machine 19.

The target body may be in one piece and made of a single material orseveral materials. For example, a multilayer body 12, including acentral layer in the thickness of the body 12 and on each side of thecentral layer, a side layer made of a less dense material than thecentral layer can be provided.

At the same time, when considering the need for causing the breaking ofa projectile upon the impact thereof on the target 1, the latteradvantageously has an impact surface the design of which is defined soas to ensure the breaking thereof. More specifically, the impact surface8 is advantageously so configured as to limit the absorption of theimpact energy so that such energy is sufficiently reflected to theprojectile to cause it to break, i.e. to exceed the breaking strengthlimit thereof. To achieve this, the impact surface 8 is, in the case ofFIGS. 1 and 2, made of at least one coating 10, with each coating 10possibly cooperating with one of the first and second faces 3, 4.

FIG. 1 shows that the coating 10 may have the shape of a disc which canbe applied on one side 3, 4, at the center thereof, and define a rim 9on the surface 3, 4 fitted so as to preserve a periphery which may bemade of a less dense and/or less rigid material.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a coating 10 as a sheet made of asufficiently flexible material to be easily positioned on the surface 3.In a preferred embodiment, the sheet is made of an elastomeric materialwhich comprises both elastomeric polymer materials and naturalmaterials, in particular rubber. The sheet can be fixed by anymechanical means or by gluing. The outer surface of the sheet thusformed is the entire or a part of the impact surface 8. Advantageously,the sheet material is so selected as to ensure a proper cooperation withthe projectile.

In one embodiment, the projectile is in the form of a bead or a ballhaving a shell made of a flexible material and for example of gelatine.In this example, using an elastomeric coating 10 provides an increasedfriction capacity between the shell of the projectile and the impactsurface 8 so as to facilitate the breaking of the shell. Furthermore, acoating 10 may be used so as to facilitate cleaning when the flexiblematerial shell contains a liquid dye product such as paint. For thispurpose, the surface of the impact surface 8 is preferably smooth. Inthis example, the coating 10 can be simply rubbed with a cloth to easilyremove the paint deposited by the projectile. Alternately, the coating10 may be a plate made of a rigid polymeric material attached to one ofthe faces 3, 4 or the other.

In the case of FIGS. 3 and 4, mounting is provided by fixing memberscooperating with fixing members 11 on the inner face of the coating 10and additional members 13 in the target body 12 or another portion ofthe target. The complementary members 13 advantageously comprise femalecavities 12 formed in the target body while the members 11 are maleportions which can be inserted into the cavities. At least one or morefixing member(s) 11 may be formed. In the illustrated case, at leastfour members are located at the four cardinal points, so to distributethe fixing effort on the target 1. The fixing members are inserted intothe cavities and can be hung on the wall thereof. Besides, at least onefixing member 11 may have a pattern surface so as to increase theadherence effect in the complementary fixing member 13. This exemplarymounting may be completed or replaced by any other fixing and inparticular glueing.

Alternately, FIG. 4 shows, in section, the result obtained in theembodiment of FIG. 3 with the passage of the fixing members 11 throughthe thickness of the target body 12. Such figure also shows that eachface 3, 4 of the target 1 may be provided with a coating 10 so that theimpact of the projectile can occur on both sides of the target 1. Inthis context, it may be advantageous to make the fixing members 11 ofboth coatings 10 cooperate. This is the meaning of the case illustratedwherein each coating 10 carries fixing members, on the one hand in theform of male rods, on the other hand in the form of rods having an innerconduit. The rods of the fixing members 11 of a coating 10 are soarranged that they can be inserted into the internal conduits of thefixing members of the other coating 10, on the opposite face. The targetbody 12 is thus trapped between the two coatings 10 placed on eitherside of the latter and being fixed together through the thickness asshown in FIG. 4. In the case where the coating 10 is a polymer material,it is advantageously a thermosetting polymer material. For example, thecoating 10 may be made of the following materials: polycarbonate,polyamide or ABS. Still by way of example, the thickness of the coating10 may, in any case, range from 0.5 to 3 millimeters and preferably be 1millimeter.

Especially when projectiles with a marker in the form of liquid dye areused, a coating 10 having an outer surface of a dark color, preferablyblack may advantageously be used, which allows increasing the visualeffect by contrast upon releasing the marker.

As stated above, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1-4 provides for a rim 9around the coating 10. The rim 9 may participate in the security of thetarget practice and avoid making the target too dangerous, moreparticularly if the coatings are rigid and have a density higher thanthe density of the target body 12. In this context, by way of example,it should be noted that the thickness of the rim may correspond to 10 to30% of the diameter of the faces 3, 4 of the targets.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show an alternative embodiment of the target 1 of theinvention. In particular, FIG. 6 shows that at least one of the faces 3,4 may not be flat and present, in particular in the example illustrated,a central cavity surrounded, at its periphery, by a portion of an impactsurface 8 located at a higher level. This configuration can make itpossible to limit the weight of the target 1 but also promote thebreaking by providing surface elements having different orientations soas to avoid too tangential an application of the projectile on theconsidered side 3.4. In the case where the coating 10 is a polymermaterial, it is advantageously a thermosetting polymeric material. Forexample, the coating 10 may be made of the following materials:polycarbonate, polyamide or ABS.

The embodiment of FIGS. 5 and 6 comprises a belt 14 adapted toconstitute a peripheral device for the rest of the target 1.Advantageously and in the example shown, the belt 14 has an annularshape, with the outer surface of the ring constituting the edge 2 whilethe inner surface of the ring allows cooperation with the rest of thetarget 1. The rest of the target 1 may include, as in the caseillustrated, a heart 15 having a portion for cooperation with the belt14 and a central portion called the “core” 16. In the case shown, thesheet 16 has a smaller thickness than the rest of the heart 15. Theperipheral portion of the heart 15 comprises an enlargement 17 enclosingthe core 16 and which may be used as a basis for receiving two wings 18located on both sides of enlargement and each appearing at one of thefirst and the second faces 3, 4. The wings 18 are preferablysubstantially parallel and are used to cooperate with the sidewalls 2 ofthe belt 14 so that the two parts fit together to form an integralassembly.

In the case shown, the heart 15 is formed in one piece but this case isnot restrictive. Similarly, the belt 14 is made of a single piece here,but could be made of several assembled parts.

Like in the embodiments illustrated above, the case of FIGS. 5 and 6reveals the ability to select specific materials for forming the impactsurface 8 relative to the surface of the edge 2. In particular, theheart 15 can be made of a denser material than the belt material 14and/or a material having a higher Young's modulus than that of the belt14. This provides an impact surface 8 promoting the reflection of theimpact energy on the projectile to produce the breaking thereof when therest of the target 1 and in particular the material located on the edge2 thereof is less dense and/or more elastically deformable (less rigid)so as to limit the risk of accidents and promote the rotating byadhesion.

In all the cases mentioned above, one or more material(s) having Young'smodulus lower than or equal to 0.1 GPa (gigapascal) can be selected. Inaddition to or separately, one or more material(s) can be selected forthe impact surface 8 with Young's modulus higher than 0.8 GPa.

According to one possibility, the impact surface 8 is made of a polymermaterial and particularly of polyurethane. Such material isadvantageously selected to have a Shore hardness above 90 and morepreferably at least 99; it may be in the form of a plate at least 1 mmand preferably 1 mm plus or minus 10% in thickness.

Another embodiment of the target 1 which is not shown in the figures,consists, starting from a target 1 having a target body 12 substantiallylike in the cases of FIGS. 1 and 2, in executing the cross-linking of aportion of the surface of at least one of the first and second faces 3,4, so as to harden said part and form an impact surface 8 absorbing lessimpact energy than the rest of the target body 12. A rim 9 may howeverbe preserved around the impact surface 8 during the cross-linking phaseby placing a mask on the surface to be protected during suchcross-linking. The impact surface 8 is then formed directly in thetarget body 12, and advantageously in a polymer foam, but using atransformed material which has different mechanical properties from therest of the target 1 and which in particular absorbs less impact energythan the rest of the target 1. Cross-linking is preferably executed on adepth corresponding to the thickness of the target body. The target 1thus described ensures both efficiency and safety when launched andeffective cooperation with the projectile. As a matter of fact, theimpact surface 8 is preferably so configured in the previous examples asto absorb less impact energy than the edge 2 part of the target 1, sothat the energy returned to the projectile is sufficient to cause thebreaking of the shell and release the marker.

It should be noted that the various options for achieving the targetsindicated above can be combined according to all associations of theircharacteristics.

According to the invention, the target 1 is caused to cooperate with aprojectile not shown.

As previously indicated, in one embodiment, the projectile includes amarker in the form of a powdered material which may be for examplecalcium carbonate-based, whether colored or not. In this example, theshell containing the marker is advantageously a rigid shell andpreferably a spherical shaped shell. Furthermore, the surface of theshell is advantageously smooth so as to facilitate the shooting accuracyalthough this may penalize the firing range. It should be noted herethat the present invention advantageously relates to a target practicewherein the projectile is launched using a weapon that can be part ofthe present invention, with the distance between the weapon and thelaunched target ranging from ten to twenty meters and being preferablyless than fifteen meters.

It is therefore preferred to increase the shooting accuracy rather thanthe range of the projectile. The rigid shell described above may forexample be a polymer material with a thickness of less than onemillimeter and advantageously between 0.5 and 1 mm and have a diameterbetween one and two centimeters and advantageously 1.5 centimeter. Theshell is for example obtained using the following method: a powderedmixture of polyethylene glycol and calcium carbonate is placed in amould having the desired shape for the projectile; the mould is heatedso as to cause a peripheral melting of the mixture; heating is stoppedafter a time so configured as to enable the forming of a shell layerhaving the desired thickness after cooling (cooling may be forced, forexample by quenching).

In another embodiment, the shell is made of a flexible material and forexample of gelatine. It provides a coating delimiting the storage volumeof the marker. This solution is particularly suitable, even though it isnot limited to a marker of the liquid dye type. In this case, theprojectile has a more flexible conformation and is caused to deform moreeasily upon impact on the target. The soft shell may be made of gelatinewith a thickness of the same order as the thickness given for the caseof rigid shells.

The projectile may be launched using a compressed gas operated gun whichmay for example operate with CO₂ and using the expansion of the CO₂ toperform the projection effort It may be guns or rifles.

The target practice method is as follows:

-   -   the shooter takes up one position, holding his/her arm in        his/her hand, with the weapon being ready to launch a projectile        as indicated above;    -   upon the shooter's order or using any other form of control, the        machine launches a target 1 into a portion of space. The throw        can be so configured as to expose essentially one of the first        or second faces 3, 4 opposite the shooter, but any other angle        is possible. When the target 1 is launched, the shooter tries to        reach it using a projectile. If successful, thanks to the        invention, a visual effect is immediately produced through the        release of the marker. As a matter of fact, when impacted, the        shell of the projectile breaks, so as to release the marking        material which rapidly spreads, because of the dynamics of the        target 1. This is preferably carried out while making sure that        the target is not substantially deteriorated and in particular        so that the impact energy is more widely used by the projectile        than by the target 1, at least within a limit making it possible        to break the projectile and not to degrade the target 1. For        example, at least three quarters of the impact energy are        absorbed by the projectile to facilitate the breaking of the        shell;    -   the marker is released and spreads onto the target 1 at the        impact surface 8 and/or in a portion of space. In the case of a        marker like paint, the marking will be produced mostly on the        target 1. In the case of a powder material, the marker tends to        dissipate as a cloud in a three-dimensional portion of space. In        all cases, the target 1 is advantageous rotated about its axis        so that upon impact, a tangential effect occurs, which        facilitates the distribution of the marker on a larger surface.        Somehow, upon the impact, the point of impact follows a        pseudo-cycloidal trajectory which produces such enlargement of        the visual effect area.

The invention may be used for a target practice wherein the shootertries to hit the target 1 several times. For example, the target 1 isthrown high enough to allow a repeated shooting. Each time the target ishit, the shooter scores one point. Thanks to the invention, the target 1is not altered by impacts and advantageously its trajectory is notsignificantly changed. Thus, a launched target 1 can be shot at at least5 times. In one embodiment of the invention, a system comprising severalpreferably aligned launching machines is provided. Optionally themachine may be coordinated with a sequencer capable of defining thefiring order and intervals (for instance between 3 and 10 seconds) ofthe machines. A firing pattern is as follows: each machine launches atarget in a direction which is specific thereto, with the launchingbeing programmed over time not to start before the target of theprevious throw is no longer accessible to the shooter. The throws allowup to 5 possible impacts. The player thus has the possibility to scoreup to 15 points. The number of shooters which can participate in acontest is in no way limited.

The invention is not limited to the embodiments described above butapplies to all the embodiments complying with the spirit thereof.

REFERENCES

1. Target

2. Edge

3. First face

4. Second face

5. Internal layer

6. First superficial layer

7. Second superficial layer

8. Impact surface

9. Edge

10. Coating

11. Fixing member

12. Target body

13. Additional fixing member

14. Belt

15. Heart

16. Core

17. Enlargement

18. Wing

19. Launching machine

20. Launching plane

21. Arm

22. Peripheral application surface

23. Frame

24. Charger

25. Column

26. Delivery area

1-26. (canceled)
 27. A target practice method, comprising a step oflaunching a target into a portion of space, a step of firing aprojectile towards the target and a step of impact of the projectile onthe target, wherein use is made of a projectile comprising a shelldelimiting an internal volume containing a marking material and in thatit involves a step of breaking the shell upon impact of the projectileon the target, thereby releasing the marking material.
 28. The methodaccording to claim 27, wherein the step of launching comprises rotatingthe target on its own.
 29. The method according to claim 28, wherein theown rotation speed of the target is at least 300 round per minutes (rpm)upon launching.
 30. The method according to claim 27, wherein use ismade of a target, the peripheral surface of which comprises an edgejoining a first face and a second face and wherein the step of impact isachieved through the contact of the projectile on an impact surfaceformed on at least one of the first face or the second face.
 31. Themethod according to claim 30, wherein the edge of the target and theimpact surface are selected to be made of different materials.
 32. Themethod according to claim 31, wherein the edge material(s) is/areselected to have a density lower than the density of the material(s) ofthe impact surface.
 33. The method according to claim 31, wherein thedensity of the material(s) of the impact surface is selected to be above500 kg/m³.
 34. The method according to claim 31, wherein the density ofthe edge material(s) is selected to be less than 275 kg/m³.
 35. Themethod according to claim 30, wherein use is made of a target comprisinga target body having a cylindrical shape, the surface of revolution ofwhich forms the edge and wherein the impact surface comprises, on atleast one of the first face or the second face, a disc-shaped area. 36.The method according to claim 35, wherein the diameter of thedisc-shaped area is selected to be smaller than the diameter of thetarget body.
 37. The method according to claim 35, wherein use is madeof a target, the body of which is made of polymer foam and wherein atleast a part of the impact surface is obtained by cross-linking saidfoam.
 38. The method according to claim 35, wherein at least a part ofthe impact surface is formed by fixing a coating on the target body. 39.The method according to claim 38, wherein the fixing is carried out withat least one fixing member located on a face of the coating opposite theface of the coating forming at least partly the impact surface, and withat least one additional fixing member formed on the target body.
 40. Themethod according to claim 38, wherein the coating is selected to be aplate of polymer material.
 41. The method according to claim 30, whereinuse is made of a target comprising a belt, part of the periphery ofwhich forms the edge of the target and surrounding a target heart andwherein the outer wall of the target heart forms at least partially theimpact surface.
 42. The method according to claim 41, wherein the targetheart is so selected that it comprises a part for fixing one area of thebelt opposite the periphery part.
 43. The method according to claim 42,wherein the target heart is so selected that it comprises a central coreselected to have a thickness smaller than that of the fixing part. 44.The method according to claim 31, wherein Young's modulus of thematerial(s) of the edge is selected to be lower than that of thematerial(s) of the impact surface.
 45. The method according to claim 31,wherein Young's modulus of the material(s) of the edge is selected to belower than 0.1 giga Pascal.
 46. The method according to claim 38,wherein the coating is selected to be in the form of a sheet of anelastomeric material.
 47. The method according to claim 31, whereinYoung's modulus of the material(s) of the impact surface is selected tobe higher than 0.8 giga Pascal.
 48. The method according to claim 27,wherein the marking material is selected among a liquid dye and apowder.
 49. The method according to claim 27, wherein the shell of theprojectile is formed as a rigid shell made of polymer material or as aflexible shell, preferably made of gelatine.
 50. The method according toclaim 27, wherein the shell is formed as a smooth spherical casing. 51.A target practice system, comprising a machine for launching a targetand a projectile intended to impact the target, wherein the projectilecomprises a shell delimiting an internal volume containing a markingmaterial and in that the impact of the projectile on the target is soconfigured as to cause the breaking of the shell, thereby releasing themarking material.
 52. The system according to claim 51, so configured asto implement the method according to claim 27.